Benefits of Hula Hoop Fitness

May 7, 2020

Are you struggling to find easy and convenient workouts at home? You might think this sounds crazy, but I recommend trying hula hooping. I’ve been falling back in love with hula hooping lately and it’s an unconventional way to work out. It’s oddly addictive. You feel great both during and after. Let me tell you about some of the main benefits of hula hoop fitness.

Hula hooping strengthens core muscles

Looking for a stronger, more slim waistline? What about toned abs? Consider hooping! It’s a lot more fun than crunches or situps. Whether you hoop for 10 minutes or an hour, your core is going to be engaged the entire time. In addition to strengthening the core muscles, it also helps work your back, arms, and more. Snatched waist and arms, here I come!

Hula hooping is low impact cardio

After my recent breast reduction surgery, I’m easing my way back into fitness. I can’t do anything high impact that could put stress on my surgical wounds, so low impact is what I’m going with. It was already Right now I’ve got about 75% of my mobility back, so I’m testing out lots of different workouts to get my heart rate up and some of my stamina back. Hula hooping is the perfect low impact cardio exercise that won’t impede on my healing process.

Hula hooping is affordable

You only need one piece of equipment. I bought my hoop over 11 years ago just before Burning Man, so a single hoop can last a long time. There are no classes to pay for or reservations to make. For an even more intense hooping session, wear wrist or ankle weights to kick it up a notch.

Hula hooping is fun

If you like dancing, you’ll love hooping. I’m a big fan of Masala Bhangra and Zumba type classes, but with the current state of things group fitness classes are closed. Don’t let that be an excuse to not move your body! Just grab your speaker, sunscreen, sunglasses, and enjoy the endorphins outside. Listen to some of my Spotify playlists if you need some musical motivation.

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Shop some similar hula hoops for fitness or fun on Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and more. For beginners, I recommend getting a hoop that has a grippy gaffer tape on it because that little bit of texture will be easier to learn hooping with. A glow in the dark and LED hula hoop are on my wish list for one day when I eventually upgrade. They’re also awesome to bring to music festivals!

I also featured my hula hoop in my recent summer lifestyle favorites video on YouTube. I shared a silly TikTok video of me hooping that actually got a pretty surprising response.

When was the last time you hula hooped? Before a few weeks ago, it had been absolute years for me. I’m loving it lately for workouts throughout the week. I just log it under the dance category in my Apple Watch workout tracker. It’s also fun to do with the rest of your family.

Like this post? Be sure to read through some of my other fitness content before you go. Happy hooping!

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I used to have a hula hoop when I was little and it was my favourite thing to play with! I think you might have just convinced me to get one especially after seeing all those colourful hula hoop pictures!